Chapter 9: Breathless

The daylights fading slowly

My time with you is standing still

I'm waiting for you only

This life is tough and I feel weak

I cannot lie

From you I cannot hide

And I'm losing the will to try

Can't hide it

Can't fight it

So go on, go on

Come on

Leave me breathless

Tempt me, tease me

Until I can't deny this loving feeling

Make me long for your kiss

Go on, go on

Yeah, come on

Breathless – The Corrs

For several weeks very little happened. Aeris went to class, wrote music, organised the concert and found herself living on caffeine from Barret's Café.

One afternoon she was sitting in the music room alone, working on the song she was writing for herself to perform at the concert. It was inspired by James. She had started writing it that afternoon when he had come to her home. It was called, 'Thank You'.

She and James didn't see each other quite as often now, mostly because they were too busy. He was doing his schoolwork and had told her that he was working on an article idea, which he hoped his father would publish. However, they always met up at Barret's to catch up with each other and she spent many nights with him.

Tifa and Cloud still hadn't revealed that they were dating. Aeris couldn't believe that they still felt they had to hide it from her. She couldn't help smiling. It had become habit to burst into her room when she knew that Tifa and Cloud were in there, just to see them jump and look horrifyingly guilty.

She jumped as the door opened. To her surprise, Vincent Valentine walked in. He stopped as he saw her. She hadn't seen him around recently.

"Hi Vincent."

"Hello. I came to get a drawing of a violin."

"Oh, sure. They're in the corner." She said. He nodded and went over to look at them. She went back to the piano, pressing keys until she found the right melody.

After a few minutes, Aeris saw him watching her.

"What?"

"I was just wondering what it was that you are playing."

"Oh! It's a song I'm writing to perform at the concert."

"May I hear it?"

"Well… sure, I guess."

She put the lyrics on the stand and played a short introduction.

"My tea's gone cold

I'm wondering why

I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window

And I can't see at all

And even if I could

It'd all be grey

But your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

I drank too much last night

Got bills to pay

My head just feels in pain

I missed the bus and there'll be hell today

I'm late for work again

And even if I'm there, they'll all imply

That I might not last the day

Then you call me and it's not so bad

It's not so bad

And I want to thank you

For giving me the best days of my life

Oh, just to be with you

Is having the best day of my life"

She stopped.

"I haven't quite finished it." She explained. Vincent hadn't moved.

"It's for him, isn't it?" He said quietly. She blushed and nodded.

"Yeah… I just… it's like, he makes me want to sing. I mean, he's my first boyfriend, and I don't know if I'm just being silly, but I just feel so inspired."

She stretched and looked at her watch in surprise.

"I've been here for hours… time just flies when you're doing very little."

Vincent nodded and selected a violin. He set it down on a table and started to sketch it. Then he stopped.

"Would you hold it for me? I want to see how it's held while it's being played."

"Sure."

Aeris got up and went to sit next to him, holding the violin. He stood her up and sat her down on a stool by the window. Then he sat opposite her and started to sketch. Aeris watched the intense expression on his face as he drew. It was extraordinary. He looked up and then back at his paper.

"Who's your father?" she asked suddenly. He looked up sharply. Aeris licked her lips.

"Sorry. I was just wondering, since he worked with my parents and everything."

"Hojo. His name was Hojo. Hold still."

"Ok, sorry."

He continued to draw. It took the best part of an hour. Eventually he blew some dust away and nodded in satisfaction. Aeris stood up.

"Can I see?"

She looked at the page. Her mouth fell open. He had drawn her in such detail. The violin was perfect, right down to the last grain in the wood. It wasn't in colour, but somehow he managed to portray the light and shade perfectly. And he had drawn her too. She wasn't just a blank face holding a violin. He had drawn the smallest of smiles on her lips, her eyes shining. The sunlight fell through the open window onto her, illuminating her features and hair. It could have been a photograph, but for the lack of colour.

"That's amazing…" She breathed.

Vincent said,

"Thank you."

"No, I mean it. It's wonderful."

"Only as wonderful as your music." He pointed out. She shrugged.

"It's not the same."

"Yes it is. Music and art are very similar."

"I'll take your word for it." She smiled. She went to the piano and took her notebook from it.

"Do you want to get a coffee?" She asked him. He hesitated and then nodded.

"This is ridiculous. I've known you for weeks now and I still know nothing about you." Aeris said as they walked through the park towards the café. The sun was starting to set, casting shadows across the path.

"What do you wish to know?"

"Well... Where did you grow up? Do you have any siblings? What do you want to do with your life?"

"Midgar, no, be an artist."

"Vincent!" She said, in exasperation. He looked amused.

"What? I answered your questions."

"You're so… urgh."

"I don't believe 'urgh' is actually a word."

"You know what I mean. You're just being deliberately awkward." Aeris told him.

He couldn't help giving a very tiny smile at that. She laughed.

"Ah ha! So you do show emotions! I was beginning to wonder."

"Do you really have that much spare time?"

"I wish I did. Things are really starting to get on top of me here. Organising the concert, writing my music, seeing James, my literature work… does everyone feel this overwhelmed?"

"At one point or another. It gets to all of us sometime."

"Good… don't want to look like I can't handle it." Aeris said. Vincent shook his head.

"You're doing well. Many in your position would crack under the pressure."

"It's hard to crack when you love every minute!" She laughed.

Vincent nodded. She smiled.

"So, when can I see your new work?"

"What?"

"You said you were working on something. When can I see it?"

"Whenever you want."

"Do you show everyone your work?" She asked suddenly. Vincent stopped and she turned to look at him.

"No. I don't."

"Oh… then… then, why do you show me?" She asked out of curiosity. Vincent watched her intensely.

"I show you because you are special."

"Special? Me?" She laughed. "I wish! I'm hardly special."

"Yes, you are." Vincent said quietly.

Aeris paused and stared at him. Her green eyes bored into his red ones.

"I have done nothing in my life which gives me the credit to have people say that I am anything but ordinary." She told him. He didn't speak. She continued,

"I'm a music-loving weirdo who has to make sure everything is tidy and organised. Whenever I get sick, which I don't very often, I normally end up in hospital. My parents are world renowned scientists and I just want to write music. What have I ever done that makes me special?"

Vincent considered her for a moment before stepping forward. His hand rose and pressed against her cheek. It was cold and she had to stop herself from shivering.

"It's not what you've done. It's who you are." He whispered. Aeris swallowed hard and stared up into his eyes. Then he stepped away and his hand dropped from her face.

Aeris didn't speak. What could she possibly say? Vincent took a deep breath.

"So don't ever tell yourself that you are not special. Because you are."

"Vincent, I… I…"

"Shall we go for coffee?" He asked. She nodded.

They continued their walk to the café. It was quite busy, but they found a table. Aeris got drinks and when she returned, she found Vincent's sketchpad on the table. She looked at him and he nodded. She opened the pad and looked at the drawings.

Many were of ordinary things. Trees, benches, tables. But there were some of people. People Aeris didn't know and ones she did. There was one of herself and Tifa in the café. One of her and Yuffie in the music room, sitting at the piano. One of Cloud and Yuffie talking. Barret pouring coffee.

"You are definitely gonna be an artist. These are the best pictures I've ever seen." Aeris told him.

"They are OK. I can do better."

"Better than perfect?"

"My pictures are far from perfected. I can find fault in each one."

"And we're back to the criticism. Seriously, Vincent, you have to learn to accept a compliment."

"Because you do so well?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged, blushing.

Vincent took his pad back.

"I must go."

"Do you have to?" Aeris found herself asking. She was instantly appalled with herself.

"I'm afraid so." He said, putting it into his backpack. But he paused and looked at her. Once more she found the breathe catching in her throat.

Vincent's eyes flicked over her face.

"But I'm sorry to leave you." He murmured. Aeris couldn't move. Vincent stood up and walked away.

Leaving Aeris completely breathless.